The global population is aging rapidly, and as a result emergency abdominal surgery for acute abdomen in the elderly has become a global issue. Demographic changes in the population have also altered the profile of emergency abdominal surgery, with typical causes of acute abdomen in the elderly including acute cholecystitis, incarcerated hernia, bowel obstruction and appendicitis. In these patients, recovery from surgery is often complicated, leading to longer hospital stays compared with younger patients. Laparoscopy in the emergency setting is well established and offers a number of advantages over open surgical approaches, such as reduced postoperative pain, length of hospital stay and complication rates. While laparoscopic surgery for acute diverticulitis has become more widespread, in other conditions, like small bowel obstruction and perforated peptic ulcer, laparotomy is still used in about 70% of cases. Further, despite the urgent need for knowledge regarding surgical treatmentof acute abdomen in the elderly, there is still a lack of evidence in this relevant clinical field.

Part 1.- How to Define an Elderly and Frail Patient ?.- 1 Defining the Burden of Emergency General Surgery in the Elderly Today.- 2 A Worldwide Overview of Emergency Laparoscopic Procedures in the Elderly.- 3 The Economic Burden of Emergency Abdominal Surgery in the Elderly: What is the Role of Laparoscopy?.- 4 Goals of Care in Emergency Abdominal Surgery in the Elderly and Frail Patient.- 5 Wound Healing in the Elderly and Frail Patient.- Part 2 Acute Cholecystitis.- 6 Gallstone Ileus.- 7 Acute Pancreatitis.- 8 Acute Appendicitis.- 9 Non-Specific Abdominal Pain.- 10 Perforated Gastro-Duodenal Ulcer.- 11 Gastric Outlet Obstruction.- 12 Obstructing Colonic Tumor.- 13 Acute Diverticulitis.- 14 Small Bowel Obstruction.- 15 Incarcerated Groin and Crural Hernias.- 16 Incarcerated Incisional and Ventral Hernias.- 17 Abdominal Trauma.- 18 Acute Mesenteric Ischemia.- 19 Gynecologic Emergencies.- 20 Bedside Laparoscopy in the Elderly and Frail Patient.- 21 Emergency Robotic Surgery for Acute Abdomen in the Elderly and Frail Patient.- 22 Enhanced Recovery After Emergency Surgery in the Elderly and Frail Patient.- 23 Antibiotics in Emergency General Surgery in the Elderly and Frail Patient.- 24 Anesthesia and Emergency Laparoscopy in the Elderly and Frail Patient.- 25 Imaging in Emergency Surgery in the Elderly and Frail Patient.- 26 Emergency Laparoscopy in the Elderly and Frail Patient: Perioperative Nursing Considerations